Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Faculty and staff resources

Working with students can be extremely gratifying. You likely entered this field because you wanted to have a positive impact on the students with whom you work. This same energy and passion for supporting our students can be extraordinarily helpful when we reach out to a student of concern. Our compassion and caring can have a very positive impact on the struggling student. However, this commitment to serving students can sometimes take a toll. It’s challenging to observe someone going through a difficult time and can be taxing when a student is coming to you in hopes that you’ll help.

When you notice that you are feeling the weight of having to shoulder the burden of a struggling student, we urge you to connect with your colleagues and supervisor or consult with the Dean of Students or their designee. This process of talking through what’s happening and the impact it has on you is an incredibly important part of taking care of yourself.

For those times where the toll has become great, you might also consider connecting with the college’s Employee Assistance Program.

Possible responses to common concerns

Below, find descriptions of common behavioral concerns. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with these commonly reported concerns as well as suggestions and precautions to take when you are faced with students who are experiencing these concerns.

A student who is disrupting the learning environment

What is considered disruptive may vary, depending upon your area. PCC defines disruptive behavior as any behavior that is disorderly or substantially disruptive to the educational or administrative processes of PCC as determined by a PCC official. Disruptive behavior can range from mildly distracting to clearly disorderly, violent, or dangerous. Disruptive behavior can occur in face to face or online environments. For guidelines on removal of a student from class, please refer to the Policy on Student Conduct, section 10 Removal of a student from class.

Suggestions
  • Identify and address minor behavior concerns early; i.e., practice prevention strategies
  • Correct innocent mistakes and minor first offenses gently, with compassion
  • Intervene privately with students who are disrupting the environment
  • Provide clear and direct feedback about observable behaviors to students while communicating equally clear expectations. Document these interactions.
  • Ask student to leave the area when their behavior impedes your ability to perform your job effectively
  • When a student is persistently disruptive in your area, engage your supervisor, Faculty Department Chair/Division Dean, and/or the Dean of Student Development for guidance, support and assistance
  • In cases where the disruption poses an immediate safety risk to you, the student, or our community, contact the Department of Public Safety for assistance X4444.
Cautions
  • Do not match the student’s behavior or tone, remain calm
  • Do not allow disruptive behavior to persist
  • Do not provide demeaning or condescending feedback to students
A student who is excessively demanding

The excessively demanding student calls on you to meet needs beyond your role. This student might seek to control your time, threaten to complain or engage in legal action if you don’t respond in specific ways or timelines, and/or expect you to focus your attention solely on them even in the midst of a group or classroom context. Faculty and staff encountering a student exhibiting these behaviors often report feeling drained and/or responsible in a way that exceeds their typical involvement with students.

It is important to understand that if a student is excessively demanding this usually means that they have a need that has gone unmet. The college may be able to support the student in meeting this need and/or refer out to an appropriate resource in the community. Faculty and staff are encouraged to utilize college resources to assist the student in finding the appropriate person to meet their needs.

Suggestions
  • Speak to the student privately to express your concerns.
  • Set clear boundaries for students, offering up what you are and are not able/willing to offer them
  • Be mindful of your role. Offer referrals to resources to support students’ needs you are unable to meet in your role.
  • Communicate expectations clearly. Identify the consequences if expectations are not met.
  • Consult with your supervisor, Faculty Department Chair, and/or Division Dean about how to better set limits and communicate expectations.
  • Practice healthy self-care outside of work.
Cautions
  • Don’t take on more than you can handle or more than is appropriate for someone serving in your specific role. For example, if you are not in the role of professional counselor, it’s not appropriate for you to counsel the student.
  • Don’t avoid setting limits or responding to demanding behavior.
  • Don’t make commitments or promises that you cannot follow through with.
  • Be careful not to lose patience. While demanding students can be quite draining, remaining calm and professional is important to effectively addressing the situation.
A student who appears anxious

According to the Association for University & College Counseling Center Directors (2013), 46.2% of college students seeking counseling services rate anxiety as their primary presenting concern. Anxiety is a concern with which most college students can relate, with varying causes and degrees of impact. Anxiety may be manifested with cognitive symptoms (difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts, mind going blank, etc.), emotional symptoms (nervousness, tearfulness, low self-esteem, etc.), or physical symptoms (sweating, stomach aches, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, etc.). These students may also exhibit symptoms of obsessive thinking, perfectionism, or report feeling overwhelmed.

Suggestions
  • Acknowledge that anxiety manifests in different ways (cognitive, emotional, and physical). Sometimes symptoms are only present in one or two domains.
  • Monitor and regulate your own anxiety.
  • Empathize with the student’s experience.
  • Refer the student to Counseling, if appropriate.
  • Encourage the student to attend to basic needs (eating, drinking, sleeping) as well as engage in self-care activities.
Cautions
  • Don’t minimize the student’s experience.
  • Be cautious not to get caught up in the anxiety of the student. Anxiety breeds anxiety and the calmer you can remain, the more successful the interaction will be.
  • Don’t become over-involved in the student’s concerns. Refer to a counseling professional, when appropriate.
A student who reports discrimination or harassment

Unlawful discrimination is discrimination based on a protected class. Help educate students about what is a protected class. For example, it is unlawful to discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, veteran status, age, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law. College policy prohibits unlawful discrimination. Harassment that is based on a protected class is also unlawful and against college policy when coupled with additional criteria. It is also against College policy to retaliate [1] against any student for bringing a good-faith complaint, or participating in an investigation.

For more information, refer to the following:
  • Definitions
    1. Harassment: Can be a form of unlawful discrimination when it consists of unwelcome verbal, nonverbal (for example, whistling), visual or physical conduct based on protected status that is so severe, persistent and pervasive that it interferes with or limits a student, faculty or staff member’s ability to participate in or benefit from the College’s educational and/or employment opportunities, programs or activities. Discriminatory harassment includes Sexual Harassment.
    2. Sexual Harassment: Conduct that is sexual in nature, is unwelcome, and that either (a) denies or limits a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the College’s educational programs; (b) creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive working environment; or (c) submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for [employment, salary or other benefit changes affecting an employee or] academic decisions affecting a student. To be clear, sexual assault is sexual harassment.
    3. Retaliation: Retaliation means any adverse treatment (beyond a slight or annoyance) that is taken because a student engaged in protected activity (e.g., opposing discriminatory practices, filing a discrimination or discriminatory harassment complaint, or participating in an investigation, conduct hearing or an attempt at resolution, etc.) or for the purpose of interfering with a right or privilege granted under anti-discrimination laws. Retaliation under Title IX regulations prohibit intimidating, coercing, or retaliating against individuals because they engage in activities protected by Title IX.
Suggestions
  • Assess upfront what is the nature of the alleged discriminatory conduct.
  • In the case of Sexual Assault/Sexual Misconduct, alert Public Safety immediately to protect the student and the wider community from any potential threat of harm.
  • When interacting with a student who is sharing concerns about discrimination, harassment or sexual harassment (“D/H/SH”), take stock of your personal bias to prevent further injury to the student.
  • Listen openly to the student to best capture what the student has experienced.
  • Reassure and emphasize to the student that no one from the college may retaliate against the student for complaining.
  • Direct the student according to culturally responsive counseling or support services.
  • Direct the student to the Public Incident Report.
Cautions
  • Do not victim-blame the student reporting the concerns about D/H/SH.
  • Instead communicate with the student in a fair, non-biased, non-judgmental and objective manner that does not discourage a victim from reporting or continuing with a complaint.
  • As a general matter, keep all discussions about the alleged incidents confidential and only disclose this information to those individuals who have a legitimate need to know.
  • Do not immediately alert the individual who is the respondent as this potentially may “tip off” the respondent who may either hide or destroy evidence.
  • During the initial screening with the student, instruct the student to preserve any relevant data, text messages, voice messages, notes or journal entries as this may be used as evidence.
A student who has experienced violence or abuse

Our students experience many types of violence or abuse at a great range of frequency and intensity. The experience of violence or abuse, of any type, at any frequency and intensity, has a direct impact in the students’ ability to stay in school, and in their success in achieving their academic goals.

Some types of violence and abuse include physical assault, threat of violence, emotional and psychological abuse, cruel treatment, stalking, harassment, bullying, non-consensual sex acts including sexual assault or rape, domestic violence, past and/or current child abuse, past and/or current child sexual abuse, among others.

Faculty and staff may be able to support students who have experienced violence or abuse by making appropriate referrals for services at the college or to appropriate resources in the community. Faculty and staff are encouraged to utilize college resources to assist the student in finding the appropriate person to meet their needs.

Suggestions
  • Speak to the student privately to express your concerns and ask them what may be resources they’d like to access or would like to know more about. They’ll know best what they need and what may be the risks in accessing resources.
  • If the student confides in you and shares their experience of violence or abuse, tell them you believe them.
  • Be mindful of your role. Offer referrals to resources to support students’ needs you are unable to meet in your role. College resources may include Counseling Services, Women’s Resource Center, Multicultural Center, and/or Public Safety.
  • Whenever possible, and as appropriate, accompany the student to the college resource to which you make a referral.
  • Consult with your supervisor, Faculty Department Chair, and/or Division Dean about how to better support the student as well as how to set and maintain healthy boundaries.
  • If the student discloses or you have reasons to believe the perpetrator of the violence or abuse is part of the PCC community, file a student of concern report and/or, if the violence is based on the race, color, religion, ethnicity, use of native language, national origin, sex, gender, marital status, height/weight ratio, disability, veteran status, age, or sexual orientation of the student, then file a PCC Nondiscrimination & Non-harassment Policy Complaint Form.
  • Practice healthy self-care outside of work.
Cautions
  • Don’t avoid sharing your concerns with the student. You might be the person who may make the difference for this student.
  • Don’t ask for the details of their experience with violence or abuse that they don’t freely offer. Let them know that you want to make sure they only have to tell their story to those who can best help and support them.
  • Don’t take on more than you can handle or more than is appropriate for someone serving in your specific role. For example, if you are not in the role of professional counselor, it’s not appropriate for you to counsel the student.
  • Be careful not to set goals for the students pertaining decisions only the student can make like leaving an abusive relationship. They know best the specifics of their situation.
  • Don’t make commitments or promises that you cannot follow through with.
A student who appears depressed

Depression is a mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, guilt, worthlessness, and/or hopelessness. Those who are depressed may also experience a loss of interest in activities that were once pleasurable, irritability, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite or sleep, fatigue, and possibly thoughts of suicide or self-injury. While some students won’t meet the formal criteria for depression, most college students will experience some depressive symptoms during their time in school. More chronic or severe depression will have a significant impact on both academic and relational functioning. In a 2011 study by the American College Health Association assessing students at both 2 and 4 year institutions of higher education, 30 percent of college students reported feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function” at some time in the past year.

Suggestions
  • Express concern and offer that you’d like to help.
  • Know your limits. You’re not in the role of counselor, so you do not need to take on this responsibility. You can supportively refer a student to counseling or other campus resources. Consider escorting the student to these resources to offer your support and ensure a “warm handoff”.
  • Refer to Accessible Ed & Disability Resources, if appropriate.
  • Show empathy.
Cautions
  • Don’t minimize the student’s experience or challenges. Depression can be life altering and validating the student’s experience can help the student feel less isolated in their experience.
  • Don’t blame or shame the student for missed assignments or absences that might be the result of potential depressive symptoms.
  • If the student does or says something that makes you suspect they are suicidal, don’t be afraid to ask the student if they are contemplating suicide. See section below.
A student who might be suicidal

According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the 2nd to 3rd leading cause of death for college students, with those under 24 being at greater risk. In a study of suicidality in college students, 6% of college students indicated that they had experienced suicidal ideation in the past year (Drum, Brownson, Burton Denmark, & Smith, 2009). All indicators of potential suicidality should be taken seriously! Students who are contemplating suicide might experience one or more of the following: feelings of isolation/loneliness/alienation, frequent thoughts of suicide or preoccupation with images death, history of previous suicide attempts, recent loss of a loved one, history of alcohol or drug abuse. Students contemplating suicide may or may not have a plan or intent to harm themselves. Even those without a plan or intent could potentially benefit from intervention and support.

Suggestions
  • Take all threats of suicide seriously!
    • If the threat of suicide is imminent, remain calm and call Public Safety Emergency right away (x4444).
    • If the threat of suicide is more ambiguous, walk the student to Counseling to ensure that they receive support and intervention.
  • Be direct and ask questions. You can’t implant the idea of suicide in someone’s head, but if we don’t ask if the student is contemplating suicide then we will not have the information we need in order to provide support and intervention.
  • Take care of yourself. Hearing that someone you know is considering suicide and intervening can be very stressful. Consider using the Employee Assistance Program and consulting with your supervisor.
Cautions
  • Don’t disregard or ignore indicators that students might be contemplating suicide. The majority of people who attempt suicide have notified at least one person they are considering suicide and the risk is too high to ignore.
  • Don’t assume that just because a student doesn’t have a plan that they don’t need to seek support from a mental health or crisis intervention professional.
  • Don’t assume that a student who engages in self-injury is suicidal. While both require intervention and support, they may not be the same.
  • Don’t leave the student alone if they have a plan. Ensure that there is another college official (preferably Department of Public Safety or Counseling) intervening.
  • Be cautious not to take on too much. Trust that there are trained professionals at PCC who can offer support. Even if you’re a trained crisis professional, your role as college faculty or staff limits you from being able to fully intervene.
A student who appears intoxicated or is suspected of substance abuse

Substance abuse is a common concern among college students. Substances may include alcohol, prescription drugs, over-the-counter medication, and illicit substances (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, etc.). When a student is abusing substances, there will likely be an impact on their academic or relational functioning.

Suggestions
  • Express your concerns supportively and offer resources (see resource section below). Your concerns can be framed in the interest of the student’s overall health and wellbeing.
  • If the student is on campus and appears to be under the influence of a substance and in violation of the Code of Conduct, please call Public Safety to assess the situation.
Cautions
  • Do not ignore a situation where a student is visibly intoxicated and driving to/from campus, as this might place the student or others at risk of an accident. Call Public Safety to address the situation.
  • Do not express judgment about the student or their substance using behavior.
  • Do not make accusations of drug abuse, instead focus on the behaviors or observations leading you to be concerned when you share your concerns with the student.
A student who appears to be in poor contact with reality

A student who appears to be in poor contact with reality is someone who shows signs that they are having difficulty distinguishing the real from the imagined. These students may appear paranoid, confused, or irrational. It’s possible that they might report hearing voices, seeing things that likely aren’t there, or having experiences that you question to be real or not. You might find their writing or verbal speech difficult to make sense of or follow.

Suggestions
  • Be compassionate, calm, and kind in your response, while respectfully setting limits.
  • Stay present focused and redirect conversations that get off track.
  • Refer to Counseling or the Dean of Students office. Make sure you’ve filed a Student of Concern report.
  • If you feel unsafe, call Public Safety. However, just because a student is evidencing signs that they are in poor contact with reality, do not assume they are dangerous. Most students who show these signs are not a risk to others, but are often more vulnerable to negative reactions or actions from others.
Cautions
  • Do not try to dissuade the student let go of their perceptions or debate about whether or not their experience is real.
  • Do not reinforce delusional thinking by encouraging more discussion or agreeing that the delusions are truthful. You can acknowledge that the student has concerns and that they need support, then refer appropriately.
  • Do not threaten, touch, or argue with the student.
A student who is agitated or aggressive

When students experience difficult or frustrating situations, they sometimes respond in ways that are perceived as angry, agitated, potentially violent, and/or aggressive. These are students in need of support and intervention. However, it should be noted that this a broad range of behaviors and just because a student is agitated this does not necessarily mean that they are potentially violent. The agitated or aggressive student might be quick to anger, make attempts to gain control over a situation over which they believe they have little control, or may show great contempt towards the college or specific people with whom they have interacted at the college. It is important to note that a student has a right to express their dissatisfaction or disagreement. However, if this expression significantly disrupts the learning environment and/or causes significant fear or harm to others, intervention is required.

Suggestions
  • Provide the student an opportunity to explain what they are upset. Keep in mind that agitation and aggressivity are a sign that someone feels out of control, unheard, or threatened in some way. Acknowledge their experience, when possible.
  • Be respectful, firm, and directive. It is healthy to set limits, especially when a student is pushing boundaries.
  • If possible, help facilitate some problem solving for the student.
  • If the student has specific concerns about the college, a specific employee, or a college process, refer them to the college complaints process.
Cautions
  • Do not argue with, attack, touch, or threaten the student.
  • Do not dismiss the student’s concerns.
  • Do not allow the student to treat you badly. It’s okay to stand up for yourself and set limits professionally.
A student who is medically ill or injured

Students often come to campus sick or injured. In addition, some students encounter medical emergencies or injuries on campus. Being prepared to respond to these situations is critical.

Suggestions
  • Show compassion for students who are experiencing a medical illness or are injured.
  • If a student is in urgent medical need, contact Public Safety immediately. If there are others around, take control of the situation. Give those around the student directives, including asking them to stand back away from the student.
  • Encourage students who have sustained an injury or are experiencing a new illness that impacts their ability to be successful in school to contact the Accessible Ed & Disability Resources Office to see if they are eligible for accommodations.
  • If the student reports having an infectious disease, make a report to the college Safety & Risk Manager and/or Public Safety.
Cautions
  • Do not move a student who has fallen, fainted, or is having difficulty moving.
  • Do not force a student who is visibly ill to come to class or remain on campus.
  • Do not offer a student medication, including over-the-counter medication. Call Public Safety if there is a need for medication.
  • Do not provide medical treatment. Leave this to the medical professionals!